European Journal of Medicinal Plants

Analysis of the Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Potential of the Fractions Obtained From the Ethyl Acetate Partition of the Leaves of Diplopterys Pubipetala

Clarice Avelar Almeida — 2022-05-05

Aims: The objective of this work was to analyze the anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of the fractions of ethyl acetate from the leaves of D. pubipetala.

Methodology: Liquid-liquid partitioning was performed, the ethyl acetate partition was eluted in classical liquid chromatography, followed by thin layer chromatography. Antioxidant activity was performed by the DPPH photochlorimetric method and the levels of interleukin (IL‑6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‑α), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and nitric oxide (NO) were identified in supernatants of cell cultures.

Results: Fractions F4, F5 and F10 showed antioxidant activity. The F10 fraction indicated efficient anti-inflammatory activity by the production of IL-10 and nitric oxides. Fractions F4, F5 and F9 stimulated the production of IL-6 and TNF-α.

Conclusion: These results indicate a possible synergistic action of the extract and the partition of ethyl acetate, since after fractionation the potential presented in previous studies was lower.

Ethnomedicinal Study of Plants Used for Treatment of Diabetes, Hypertension and Cardiovascular Ailments in Fokoue and Santchou Subdivisions, Menoua Division of West Cameroon

Rui Zhang — 2022-05-10

Background: In Cameroon, numerous people rely on medicinal plants and possess knowledge on the use of these plants. Plant knowledge from indigenous people is rapidly disappearing due to environmental, social and economic pressure, processes and changes. In view of this, ethnobotanical studies have been carried out in the area where medicinal plants are the main source of health care in order to preserve traditional knowledge of plant use. This study aims to document and quantify medicinal plant knowledge on the treatment of diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular ailments in Fokoue and Santchou subdivisions of Menoua Division, West Cameroon.

Methods: Information related to medicinal plant species and plant remedies was collected through semi-structured interviews with 34 informants accompanied by homegarden sampling, walk-in-the-woods and snowball sampling. Quantitative methods were used to determine cultural importance index, relative frequency of citation and fidelity level which represent informants’ consensus.

Results: A total of 49 medicinal plant species representing 26 different botanical families were recorded in Fokoue and Santchou subdivisions of Menoua Division, West Cameroon. Most-cited plant families were Acanthaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Poaceae and Rhamnaceae. Plant species Allium sativum, Aloe vera, Asystasia spp., Cymbopogon citratus, Gouania spp., Persea americana, Sonchus oleraceus and Vernonia amygdalina were considered as relatively important plants for treating diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular ailments.

Conclusions: The study indicated the unique knowledge of medicinal plants used for treating diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular ailments in Fokoue and Santchou subdivisions. Our findings not only confirm uses of medicinal plants documented elsewhere, but also add interesting new information that should be confirmed through formal biochemical analysis and clinical trials.

Alpha (α)-amylase Inhibitory Property of Anthocleista nobilis Leaf Extract

Kwabena Dabie — 2022-05-14

Aims: Alpha (α)-amylase inhibitors from plants are preferable for type 2 diabetes treatment because of their relative potency and safety. This study examined, in vitro, the inhibitory effect of Anthocleista nobilis leaf extract on starch hydrolysis catalyzed by α -amylase (extracted from moated sorghum).

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry (School of Biological Sciences) and Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana, between June 2021 and August 2021.

Methodology: Leaves of A. nobilis were air-dried, pulverized, and macerated in 70% aqueous ethanol for 72 hrs. The filtrate was concentrated and reconstituted in 0.02M Sodium phosphate buffer (pH 6.9) for further analysis including Phytoconstituents screening. In vitro analysis of α -amylase activity as well as inhibitory effect of A. nobilis extract on α -amylase was performed. The Lineweaver-Burk plot was employed in the inhibition analysis to determine the inhibition type, maximum initial reaction rate (V_max), as well as the Michaelis constant (K_M).

Results: The percentage inhibition of α-amylase ranged from 25.0 ± 0.46% - 85.7 ± 2.17% for 0.1mg/mL and 0.9mg/mL of the A. nobilis leaf extract respectively. The mode of α-amylase inhibition was found from the Lineweaver-Burk plot as mixed noncompetitive. The K_M and V_max were determined as 0.2043 mM and 0.1282 mM/min respectively. In contrast, K_M for the control were 0.1537mM and V_max of 0.09750 mM/min. The inhibition property of A. nobilis could be attributed to its phytochemicals such as flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, and terpenoids that were present.

Conclusion: Anthocleista Nobilis leaf extract contains certain naturally occurring anti-diabetic compounds and could be explored for treating type 2 diabetic patients. These findings, however, need further work to validate the exact bioactive constituents responsible for the inhibitory effect.